


strange visitor

by allp_wips



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-05-14 11:32:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19272421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allp_wips/pseuds/allp_wips
Summary: Astra is enraptured by the grumpy visitor from Earth whom her niece brings to Krypton.





	strange visitor

On Krypton, it is a custom when trainees graduate from their chosen guild, to spend a year before transitioning into their careers. Most use the time to start a family. A few use it to travel.

 

Astra isn't surprised when Kara elects to take the year off to travel.

 

She  _ is _ surprised when Kara chooses a planet as unremarkable as Earth to travel to.

 

\---

 

Kara has an instinct for making friends, so Astra isn't surprised to learn that she's made so many on Earth. Astra reads sheafs of letters from her niece about all of them: Winn, Sam, Querl, James, and - most perplexingly - a cat.

 

But, the one who stands out most in Kara's letters is the Earthfleet officer who had been assigned to protect Kara during her stay there, an Alexandra Danvers. Kara speaks of this Alex in the most glowing terms, describing in great detail how valiant she is, how she has foiled two attempted burglaries on Kara's person so far, and how she never seems to smile, unless somebody in the vicinity is getting hurt.

 

All in all, Astra surmises, she'd like the woman, if she ever met her. Mostly, though, she's just profoundly grateful that Kara has someone so formidable to guard her.

 

\---

 

A huge party from both the house of El and Ze travel to the spaceport to await Kara's return from Earth, when the year passes. Some of them are there out of love for Kara, Astra knows. Most of them are just there for the novelty of getting to see the return of the eldest scion of the house of El, who'd been the first in a hundred years to venture in the direction of a galaxy cluster as remote as the one that Earth is located in.

 

Astra lingers at the head of the waiting group, mostly because she needs to be near Alura to calm her down. Her sister stands huddled with Elena Thor-Ul, Kara's childhood friend and soon-to-be betrothed. Where the worry is plain in Alura's face, as she awaits Kara's return, Lena's anxiety shows in the way her jaw is clenched, and by how her eyes don't leave the ship dock.

 

"She's late," Alura murmurs. "The ship was supposed to have landed an hour ago."

 

"Stop worrying, both of you," Astra says. "Your fidgeting isn't going to get her here sooner. Kara will be alright."

 

Astra turns out to be right. Other than a negligible delay for refuelling, the ship docks without incident. Kara is rushing out of the platform and towards them in no time.

 

"Mom! Aunt Astra!" Kara catches the two of them together in a running leap, both mother and daughter reduced to sniffling tears while Astra holds it together.

 

Then Kara pushes beyond them, to the woman lagging just behind.

 

"Lena!"

 

This finally clears Astra's line of sight to the woman who had been lingering behind Kara. The Earthfleet officer.

 

Astra stares. Then remembers to breathe out. Then stares some more.

 

Kara hadn't told her that her protector is attractive. That she has eyes like the warmest pot of tea on a very cold day, or that her short hair flutters over jaw in the wind in the most taking manner.

 

The rest of the event passes by in a blur for Astra. She's vaguely aware of Alura doing the customary greetings, and follows the group mechanically, listening to her sister politely making small talk with Alex, while Kara chatters away excitedly to Lena.  

 

Somewhere amidst it all, Alex Danvers looks back, and catches her staring. Oddly, the woman reacts by glowering at her fiercely, as if somehow offended by Astra.

 

Astra blinks, and wonders if she's going out of her mind, because even that fierce scowl only makes the woman in front of her more attractive.

 

\---

 

"It looks like young Lena has Kara occupied for the next few days," Alura announces over breakfast the next morning. "So I've arranged some entertainment for Alexandra for the week. I thought she'd like a tour of the city, first."

 

Astra stares down at her breakfast, willing herself not to look in the direction of the guest room where Alura had led Alex into the previous night.

 

"I'll get Kal-El to take her around," Alura continues, oblivious. "He'll welcome a day off from his guild studies, and he knows the city like the back of his hand."

 

"I'll take her," Astra interrupts. "Kal needs to attend to his studies more."

 

Silence descends on the room, and she looks up to see Alura staring at her.

 

"What?"

 

"You never participate in these things more than you have to," Alura says. "Since when do you volunteer yourself to take guests around?"

 

"Let me take care of it," Astra says, and turns her attention back to her plate, refusing to meet her sister's interrogating gaze.

 

\---

 

Alex Danvers doesn't glare at Astra again, when she greets her outside the In-Ze estate to begin their tour of the city. On the other hand, she's not particularly communicative either, answering in curt sentences and one-word answers to Astra's notes.

 

Astra doesn't mind, not being a particularly avid conversationalist herself. In near-silence, she brings Alex to the most celebrated museum in Kandor first, as Alura had advised. She's pleased to see that the woman does enjoy the exhibits when left to herself, though she seems to shy away from the guided tours. Astra lets her wander around, following at a distance herself, though she cannot help throwing periodic glances at Alex.

 

She's beautiful, but Astra has known a lot of beautiful women. There's something else, something arresting about Alex that goes beyond just the physical aspect. It's in the way she stalks ahead despite having the shorter stride, forcing Astra to keep up. It's in her military bearing, which makes Astra feel strangely homesick. Even the way she scowls, and refuses to meet Astra's gaze for more than three seconds at a time, is captivating.

 

"I thought you might like to go to the conservatory next," Astra says, when Alex exits the last wing of the museum. "Kara tells me you have an interest in biotechnology. We have some interesting specimens that are in the process of being cultivated, there."

 

Alex, who had tensed up again when Astra approached, nods, following her authoritative steps with sulky alacrity.

 

She seems to relax in the conservatory, murmuring in hushed English about the specimen she finds there. Astra waits silently near the door, idly poking at a surrus blossom until it squeaks.

 

Alex's relaxed manner disappears, however, as more visitors enter the previously isolated conservatory. Astra observes the wide swath that the new arrivals cut around the human, the whispers when they think Alex is too far away to hear, and she's not surprised when the woman is pale and silent again, by the time they leave.

 

Astra studies the afternoon sky as they exit the conservatory, realizing that it's been hours since they'd left the estate in the morning.

 

"Let's stop by the garden eatery for lunch. They cater to all sort of extragalactic visitors there, so I'm sure we can find something to suit you."

 

"Good idea," Alex finally speaks, in a tense mutter, as she strides ahead of her again. "Wouldn't want me to disrupt a proper Kryptonian joint."

 

Astra raises an eyebrow, though she knows the woman can't see it when she's behind her.

 

"I'm not your enemy, Alex Danvers."

 

Alex turns on her with a speed that would have startled anyone other than Astra into retreat.

 

"Can you stop that?" she demands.

 

"Stop what?" Astra snaps back.

 

"Stop staring at me!" Alex says. "You all do it, all the time! I'm not some specimen to be gawked at, you... you snob!"

 

" _ You all?"  _ Astra echoes, and then puffs up when Alex's last words register. "You think I'm a what?"

 

"You heard me!"

 

"How dare you?" Words fail Astra in her anger. "You think that I'm like... that I'm like those..."

 

She purses her mouth shut, knowing there's no use in continuing. This Alexandra Danvers who barely knows her, thinks that she's like the people who have looked down on Astra all their life? Who hadn't offered Astra even the barest minimum respect allowed another living being, until she'd forced them to acknowledge her worth through her time in the military?

 

"You know nothing of me," Astra says finally.

 

"Don't want to," Alex shoots back.

 

And that hurts, more than Astra wants it to. This beautiful, fascinating,  _ infuriating  _ woman doesn't want to know Astra, not even the smallest thing about her.

 

"Very well," Astra says. "You wish to be left alone? I'm happy to oblige."

 

She matches Alex glare for glare, before turning around and storming away.

 

\---

 

Astra is practising with her blaster in the yard, later into the night that is advisable, when Alura comes wandering out.

 

"Astra, where is our guest? Alexandra was supposed to join us for dinner, but she's not in her room."

 

"How am I to know?" Astra glares at the target pinned on the fence, unloading three charges dead center into it. "This afternoon, she screamed at me to leave her alone. I acceded to her request."

 

"What?" Alura's face is aghast, when Astra finally turns to face her. "Astra, what did you do?"

 

"What did I do?" Astra echoes. "She is the one who- who-"

 

She snaps her mouth shut, unable to explain. When she tries to recount it, of course it sounds peevish and like something a child would get angry over. And yet, to be screamed at just for daring to admire the woman...

 

"I don't know what happened between the two of you," Alura says, rubbing her forehead, "But, you should not have abandoned Alex in a city that she's unfamiliar with. She could be lost and hungry, right at this moment."

 

"I don't care," Astra snaps. "She can starve, for all it matters to me."

 

"You don't mean that," Alura says. "You're many things, Astra, but not cruel."

 

The breath goes out of Astra, at the unforeseen accusation.

 

"I'm not-" she stumbles, "I-"

 

"Alexandra is new." Alura's voice is soft and coaxing. "I think she's finding it hard to adjust. Perhaps she doesn't get that struggle across in the most diplomatic of ways-" here, her hands comes up, to caress Astra's cheek- "She's like someone else I know, in that respect, and she doesn't deserve to be abandoned for it-"

 

Astra frowns, her blaster falling unheeded to the ground.

 

"I hate how you always know the right thing to say."

 

\---

When Astra finally finds Alex, after an exhaustive search through the rapidly darkening city, the human is in a shouting match with a young man whom Astra vaguely remembers is from one of the lower cadet branches of the house of El.

 

Astra spots the two of them at the apex of a bridge over the river Anor, arguing near the telescope that is set into the parapet. Astra immediately sets up the steep climb to reach them, although their voices reach her easily through the still night.

 

"You wanted my attention, and you've got it," the boy is saying. "Why are you playing hard to get now?"

 

"I asked for your help in calibrating the telescope." Alex's voice is scornful. "That's not coming on to you, asshole. Back off."

 

"Asshole?" Van-El is either sneering or smiling. Astra cannot make his expression out clearly from this distance. "I'd heard humans were unsophisticated and crude." He steps closer to her. "Don't worry, I like a bit of spirit."

 

Alex's smile is more cruel than his. "Then you're really going to love this."

 

Astra watches, too far away to intervene, as her knee comes up, slamming into Van-El's groin.

 

"Did you like that?" Alex growls.

 

Astra hastens her pace as much as her leg will allow her, vaulting up the pavestones.

 

"Alexandra, enough!"

 

Van-El is doubled over in pain when she reaches them, though that doesn't seem to have impeded his ability to talk.

 

"Do you know ...who I am?"

 

"Do I care?" Alex spits out, before she turns, eyes widening at the site of the approaching Astra.

 

Van-El stirs, as Astra nears him.

 

"You saw what she did," he says, pointing an accusatory finger at Alex, as he lifts himself up.

 

Astra turns to the other woman, who's looking at her for the first time without a scowl. There's just apprehension on her face, now.

 

"I saw nothing, Van-El."

 

"She kicked me," he says, standing tall now, his fists bunching up. "Me! You saw it!"

 

Astra advances on him, fury bubbling inside her, as she fully understands the scene she had witnessed.

 

"She is a guest. She is your cousins' honoured guest! We are supposed to protect her! Instead, you... you..."

 

Words fail her. She stalks forward until she has him cornered against the parapet, and keeps advancing until he's bent halfway over it, to get away from her fury.

 

"I. Saw. Nothing. Do you understand?"

 

The boy nods mutely, breathing a deep sigh of relief when Astra steps away from.

 

Astra doesn't spare him another moment's worth of attention, instead turning to the woman who finally looks her in the eyes.

 

"And  _ you _ . My sister has charged me with bringing you home for dinner. Follow me."

 

\---

 

Despite Astra's autocractic tone, Alex seems willing to follow, falling into step with her as Astra makes a hasty return to the In-Ze estate.

 

Astra doesn't trust herself to make conversation on the way back, her mind a furious maelstrom of emotions, and not all of them directed at Van-El.

 

"You're angry," Alex observes after a while, the first time Astra can remember the woman saying anything to her without being prompted.

 

Astra is about to reply, when she realizes that Alex isn't exactly right. She is angry, but there's another emotion that's taking precedence, something very close to despair. Mortification, she realizes. Mortification that someone related to her had acted against Alex like this. She's never been one to take responsibility for anyone's sins or triumphs but her own, but when it comes to this particular human, that's turned on its head.

 

"I should never have left you," she rasps out. "Alex Danvers, I cannot begin to-"

 

"Save it," Alex says, but without any bite to the words. "I can take care of myself."

 

"If I hadn't left-"

 

"You didn't want to be around me, I get it. I wouldn't want to be around me either, I guess, if I was yelling at myself like that." Alex groans, and rubs her nose. "That's a terrible apology, isn't it? I'm sorry. There."

 

Astra stares. Strangely, Alex seems calmer now than the last time they'd conversed. Astra would have thought she'd be more agitated after the confrontation with Van-El, but the human walks with a lighter step if anything.

 

"You're taking this well."

 

"Well, nothing is a self-esteem booster like laying down a guy twice my size in five seconds flat," Alex says.

 

Then she starts humming, skipping a step to go along with the tune.

 

"I know that one," Astra says. "Kara taught it to me."

 

She sings the words out, in tune to Alex's humming, only to realize some verses in that Alex's accompanying melody has died down, and that  _ she's _ the one staring at Astra, now.

 

"What is it?" Astra asks.

 

Alex looks strangely flushed.

 

"You," she shakes her head, and looks away. "You sing good."

 

\---

 

The next morning, Alex approaches Astra on her walk around the estate garden, silently falling into place beside her. They continue the walk together, ambling forward in peaceful synchrony, without any words to accompany them.

 

That afternoon, Alex asks Astra to take her into the city again. Astra leads her through it properly this time, taking her to the major landmarks, before ending up at some of her personal favourite locations, like the hidden garden behind the now-closed warehouse, and the old docks that no one uses anymore, which are now overrun by a lake of fishes with beautiful scales that glint like jewels under Rao's light.

 

That evening, they stand by side on the same bridge where Alex had had her confrontation with Van-El the previous night. Alex shows Astra Earth through the telescope, and Astra shows her the moonbase that she'd been stationed at last.

 

That evening, Alex smiles at Astra for the first time, and Astra's heart does something very odd that it's never done before.

 

\---

 

There is a dance the next night, the night before Alex leaves. Astra suspects it's not out of any particular respect for their guest that her kin do this: highborn Kryptonians take any reason to hold such revels. Regardless, as with every other event of this kind, she attends for Alura's sake.

 

Everyone at such dances know that General In-Ze doesn't dance; her bad leg is a good excuse to get out of it. Except on the rare occasions when either Kal or Kara coax her to the dance floor, Astra prefers to sit this part of the night out, partly out of personal preference, and partly as a decades-old self-preservation tactic that she's gotten used to.

 

That changes this night, when Alex makes her way across the dance floor to her, holding her arms out.

 

"I heard this dance is supposed to be in my honour," she says, a strange smile playing around her lips. "Would be kind of stupid for me to sit it out, then. Join me?"

 

Without even thinking of refusing, Astra accepts, which sends up a murmur of surprise from the crowd.

 

"I'm afraid I'm out of practice," she says. "It's been a long time since I've danced at one of these. I'm quite bad, in fact."

 

"That's ok," Alex says. "I'm quite good, so I figure we can balance each other out."

 

Even though she's the shorter one, she leads Astra out to the floor, indicating which little touches to Astra which direction to turn in and when to spin.

 

She hadn't been lying. She  _ is _ good. Even Astra, unsophisticated a dancer as she is, can see that Alex makes her movements look effortlessly fluid in a way that only great skill can.

 

"Where did you learn this?" Astra asks, as they float around the dance floor. "Surely your fleet command doesn't force you to learn this?"

 

"You'd be surprised," Alex says. "Actually, I was a bit of a wild child when I was young, and music was one of the few things that... got me, I guess. It was easy to lose myself in it, when every other part of my life just... sucked."

 

She applies pressure to her waist again, and once more Astra spins them around, shifting the weight to her good leg so as not to fall.

 

"They're still staring," Alex murmurs. "You'd think they're used to me by now. Well, I'm leaving tomorrow, so they can be glad about that, at least."

 

"Who?" Astra asks, because Alex doesn't seem to be pointing out anyone specifically.

 

"Everyone," Alex says. "Haven't you seen them? They've been gawking at me like I’m some zoo animal, ever since I got here. Kara told me you guys don't accept visitors often, but I didn't know it was going to be this bad."

 

Astra spins them around again. Now that she cares to notice it, Alex is indeed right. There are eyes on them. A great many eyes.

 

"The truth is," she says, "It was like that to me all the time, growing up. I learned to ignore them a long time ago." She spins them again. "I suppose it didn't even occur to me that you would be put through the same gauntlet. I've spent too many years away from this planet."

 

"What do you mean?" Alex asks, leaning back to look at her.

 

"I was an anomaly of the codex," Astra says. "Alura's twin, the younger one who was never supposed to be born. Krypton has a place for everyone, except for someone who was never supposed to exist. I wasn't allowed to forgot that, when I was younger. The military was the only way out, for a puzzle like me."

 

"Huh," is all Alex says.

 

They sway and spin in amicable silence for a little longer, before she speaks again.

 

"Why'd you come back, then?"

 

"An unfortunate encounter with a makeshift grenade," Astra says, supposing it's better to have the whole matter out at once rather than dance around it. "My right leg and heart were never the same again. The military guild offered me an office position here after I was able to walk again, but I think I'll always miss... well, everywhere else."

 

She feels Alex's arm curl tighter around her waist. Her other arm curls possessively around her back, and her face comes to rest against Astra's shoulder. Astra feels warm all of a sudden, overcome by the proximity of the woman. Alex leans up, just enough so that her lips touch the shell of Astra's ear.

 

"You can come to Earth with me," she whispers, for Astra's ears alone. "I'm getting transferred to Mars next year, so you'll get to see that, too. We can do a trip around the whole solar system, if you like."

 

Astra stumbles at the feeling of the warm air from Alex's mouth curling against her own skin, now that she's so close. She feels like she's on fire, burning away to nothing just from being in contact with this woman.

 

"Alex-"

 

"Why don't you two take a break?" Alura's bright voice breaks in, as she bodily steps in between them, separating them with surprising strength for a woman who spends most of her time behind a bench. "Astra, don't hog the guest of honour to yourself for the whole night. Kara wants a turn dancing with Alex, too."

 

"Yes, I do!"

 

Before anyone can get another word out, Kara rushes in with exuberant glee, spinning Alex around and away from them at a pace that probably has the poor human seeing double.

 

"Why did you separate us?" Astra asks, as they dance away. "This infernal thing was actually becoming enjoyable, for once."

 

"You looked ready to maul her, right on the dance floor in front of everyone," Alura says. "I did this for your own good."

 

"That's the part that troubles you?" Astra asks.

 

Despite Alura adjusting to things for Kara's sake, she knows that her sister shares much of Kryptonians' disregard for humans. Astra knows herself well enough to know that she probably would have, too, were it not for the unique circumstances of her birth, and her time deployed amongst other species.

 

Alura sighs. "I didn't say it troubles me, Astra. I just don't want you rushing into something. I've never seen you act this way around anyone, before."

 

Astra looks down. "There's never been much opportunity to act this way around anyone, before."

 

Even for a mistake of the codex, she had been unusual: born enough of a mistake that no one of the same status would dare associate with her in a romantic sense, and yet born into a house great enough  that no one of lesser rank would be allowed to try, either. Only Non had dared to approach her, and that had been... disastrous, enough to make Astra wary of hoping for lightning to strike twice.

 

Alura's arms come around her. "I'm sorry. You know this is not the life I'd have wanted for you."

 

Astra doesn't answer, uninterested in meaningless and clumsily worded platitudes. Instead, she sinks back into Alura's embrace, and watches Kara drag Alex along the dance floor, still at her unique breakneck pace. Alex seems to be enjoying it, laughing as they spin around and around.

 

"She truly is happy, isn't she?" Astra asks, looking at the equally wide smile on her niece's face.

 

"Happy to be home," Alura says. "And happy to be back with Lena, I suspect."

 

Her smile falters, and Astra contorts herself to tuck an arm around her, without being released from the embrace.

 

As happy as Kara can be, there had been a few dark years when there had been all that trouble with Lena's brother, that had brought the once-great house of Thor-Ul so low. Alura's refusal to let Kara associate with Lena, when she was from such a disgraced house, had brought out a new side of the usually carefree girl. To her credit, Astra's sister had come around, but not before they'd all been exposed to a Kara they'd never had a chance to see before: a  woman of steel conviction, who was willing to forsake all her high connections with the house of El, if it mean keeping the affection of one she cared for. In retrospect, Astra reflects, it had been what made Kara her favourite of all her younger kinfolk.

 

"You made the right decision in the end," Astra says. "Lena is destined for great things, and she is nothing like her family."

 

Alura's arms tighten around her. "I know. It's just, sometimes I want to protect Kara from everything."

 

"I know." Astra draws her in closer. "Believe me, I know."

 

Alura sighs. "Sometimes, I think you're right. We have all these rules and customs, affectations that we put on, and we tell ourselves that it's worth it in the end, for a peaceful society. And yet, I do wonder..."

 

She trails off with another sigh, and Astra looks at her sister with mild surprise.

 

"Is the great adjudicator proposing displeasure with Krypton's system of governance?"

 

"Enough," Alura holds her tighter. "You're practically a walking revolution. You've no right to be judging me."

 

"Oh but I will," Astra says with glee. "I won't be forgetting this one soon."

 

Instead of storming off in a huff, as Alura had used to do in her youth when Astra went too far in teasing her, Alura simply butts her head with the side of her own.

 

"I just want you to be happy," her sister whispers in her ear. "It's been too long since I've seen you smile like this. If Alex is the cause for it, she's welcome to break however many customs she likes."

 

\---

 

Sleeplessness isn't something Astra has ever really suffered from. She's learned to take the chance to sleep when she gets it. Yet, that night after the dance, she tosses and turns as she never has before.

 

Therefore, she's wide awake when, deep into the night, there's a soft sound of rustling fabric outside her door, followed by a knock.

 

When Astra opens the door, exactly who she'd been hoping for is standing on the other side. Alex slips by her like a shadow, not bothering to turn on the light, and barely waiting for Astra to close the door again, before she crowds her against the wall.

 

"Before you start," she says, her voice low, "I know this isn't how things are done here."

 

Astra doesn't answer, her body's computing functions taken up entirely by calculating just how close Alex is standing to her. Her skin seems to be breaking into goosebumps, either from anticipation or from the night chill. This, she realizes, is the cause for her sleeplessness. Whatever she has with Alex, her body has rebelled against it ending before it had even started.

 

Alex seems to take her silence for reluctance, because she seems more unsure of herself, when she speaks again.

 

"I just-" her fingers run down Astra's arms, lighting fires down the paths they trail. "I've never felt this strongly about someone so soon, and I couldn't just let it go without... without at least trying. It's like I just... get you. Is that weird? If it's weird, I'll leave, I swear-"

 

Astra her flipped and pinned against the door before she utters another word, tucking her body so intimately against Alex's that she has no chance of escape.

 

"Stay," is all she gets out before her mouth claims' Alex's, cutting off a gasp of surprise from the other woman.

 

Alex mewls wantonly into her mouth as they kiss, which just makes Astra more uncoordinated and desperate. She tugs at Alex's shirt, ripping the buttons clean off to palm her breast. Alex writhes against her touch, and Astra's mind goes headily blank, defined only by the press of Alex's mouth against hers, and the warmth of her body against Astra's.

 

At some point, they separate, and clarity takes over momentarily. Astra takes a step back, even though it takes every bit of self-control she has, and surveys their state.

 

Alura had been right. She cannot treat Alex like this. She should do this the proper way. Should make her intentions known to Alex's family, and properly court her, before they ever get to something like this, or she's no better than Van-El.

 

"No," Astra licks her lips, leaning away when Alex moves forward to kiss her again, "I will do this properly. It's customary to-"

 

"Fuck custom." Alex cuts her off, pulling Astra back to their position against the wall, and grabbings fistfuls of hair in each hand to keep her there. "Astra, please, I'm not going to be able to get you out of my mind if we stop now. You're killing me."

 

That's all the encouragement Astra needs to lose herself back in a tangle of arms and mouths, her mind taken over once again by what Alex is doing to her body. Customs will have to wait.

 

At some point in the night, she regains her senses enough to be thankful that at least Kara is staying at Lena's for the week. Alura, on the other hand...

 

Astra smiles, and continues her journey down Alex's thighs, laying down kisses down the inside of them in tandem to the other woman's moans.

 

Well, Alura will just have to cover her ears.

 

\---

 

Astra blinks at the sunlight that assaults her eyes, when she wakes up the next morning. She usually wakes up before dawn.

 

She props herself up on one arm, and that causes the other figure sharing her blankets to shift.

"It's so red," Alex moans from beside her, snuggling her face deeper into her pillow to escape the light. "Put it away."

 

Astra grins and leans down, nosing away the hair at Alex's nape so that she can kiss her neck.

 

"You have a ship to catch, or have you forgotten?"

 

"In the afternoon," Alex grumbles. "How dare you wake me up this early for no reason?"

 

Astra hums, draping herself over Alex's lethargic form. Despite the lateness of the hour, she feels no urge to get up and do everything she'd have done by this time, not when she can be doing this instead.

 

"Did you mean it?" she murmurs. "About coming with you to Earth?"

 

Alex's reply is slow, thought Astra can't tell whether it's because of lingering sleep or because she's thinking it through.

 

"I did," she says, eventually. "I mean, I know there's stuff to be worked out but-"

 

Astra holds her tighter. "I'll speak to Alura about it. She should be able to fast-track a temporary visa."

 

Alex's eyes open, blinking softly in a way that has Astra's heart twisting, before she directs her gaze upward. "You're up for it?"

 

Astra raises herself on her elbows again, so she can look down properly at Alex. "What you said last night... I've never felt this strongly about someone so soon, either. If I don't see this through, I know that that I'll spend the rest of my life regretting it, and wondering what could have come of it."

 

Alex studies her, and apparently likes whatever she sees, because she leans up to kiss Astra. Her kiss is soft and slow this time, unlike their rushed coupling of the previous night. Astra sinks down into her when they break the kiss, humming her happiness into Alex's chest.

 

"I'm gonna introduce you to J'onn first," Alex mumbles into her hair. "I bet you two will get along. Then we can fly down to see my mom, and oh! I have to show you the northern lights, and the mountains near where I grew up and.... and... there's so much I want to show you, Astra."

 

Astra smiles.

 

"Slow down, brave one," she murmurs, eyes fluttering shut as she lets her newfound lethargy take over. "We have the rest of our lives to do all of that."

 

\---

**Author's Note:**

> Astra: My future wife is a bitch, and I love her SO MUCH  
> Alura: Ok, but please love her anywhere else but in this house, MY EARS FOR THE LOVE OF RAO


End file.
